Five arrested in Srinagar with grenades, ammunition and UAPA charges
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Srinagar police arrested five individuals in the Khanmoh area of Srinagar district, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday, 28 April, after recovering grenades, ammunition, posters and mobile phones from their possession. The arrests were made during a routine checking operation at Nard Sangri near Khanmoh.
What Was Recovered
According to police, the recovered material included two hand grenades, two magazines, an unspecified number of ammunition rounds, posters and six mobile phones. The nature of the posters has not been disclosed by authorities, and further details are awaited as investigation progresses.
Cases Registered
A case has been registered at Panthachowk police station under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act. Police confirmed that investigation is ongoing and additional details are expected to emerge in the coming days.
Part of Broader Anti-Terror Operations
The arrests are part of what officials describe as aggressive, wide-ranging operations by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and security forces against terrorists, their overground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers. Notably, the revised strategy targets the entire support ecosystem of terrorism in the union territory — not merely gun-wielding militants — by also clamping down on drug smuggling, hawala money networks and drone-based payload drops.
According to police, funds generated through drug trafficking and hawala rackets are believed to be channelled into sustaining terrorist activities in the region. Drones launched from across the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) by Pakistan-backed outfits are reportedly used to drop arms, ammunition, drugs and cash into the union territory.
Anti-Drug Campaign and Border Context
The crackdown comes alongside the ongoing 100-day Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir campaign, aimed at eradicating drug addiction among the youth, with stringent punishments announced against smugglers. J&K shares a 740-km-long LoC guarded by the Army and a 240-km-long IB guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF). The LoC spans Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts in the Valley, and Poonch, Rajouri and parts of Jammu district, while the IB runs through Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts. With investigation under way, police have indicated that more arrests or disclosures cannot be ruled out.